At a glance
～くらい means "about" or "approximately" after a number or amount. After a verb, adjective or noun, it shows degree: "so much that..." or "to the point of...".
[Number / amount] + くらい
[Verb plain form / い-adj / な-adj + な / Noun] + くらい
三時間くらい待ちました。 I waited for about three hours.
How to form it
くらい attaches directly after the word. It is used in both polite and casual speech.
| Attaches to | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Number or amount | 十分くらい | about ten minutes |
| この / その / あの / どの | このくらい | about this much |
| Verb (plain form) | 動けないくらい | so much that (I) can't move |
| い-adjective | 痛いくらい | so much that it hurts |
| な-adjective + な | 意外なくらい | surprisingly (to a surprising degree) |
| Noun | 犬くらいの大きさ | about the size of a dog |
ぐらい has the same meaning and is usually interchangeable: 三時間ぐらい.